When aiming to reduce overall energy usage in such buildings, it's natural to target the high peaks of energy consumption.
However, it's equally vital to address the base load, which represents the minimum energy consumption required by the building or site. If a building guzzles unnecessary energy during periods of supposed minimal demand, significant savings potentially exist with a few adjustments.
The challenge lies in identifying these adjustments.
What Makes the Base Load Unnecessarily High?
Several common culprits contribute to unnaturally high base loads. Ventilation and lighting systems that remain active despite low occupancy or out of standard operating hours are two examples.
Another frequent mistake is the simultaneous operation of heating and cooling systems, which often work against each other for extended periods.
Often, preset regulations fail to function as expected, and these errors remain hidden until close monitoring is initiated.
The Need for Detailed Data
Merely observing the average consumption for an entire building is insufficient for identifying the root causes of a high base load. To genuinely reduce the base load, detailed insights are required.
The provided example showcases a store closed on Sundays.
Hourly energy measurements (yellow graph) indicate a persistently high base load (red line), suggesting energy waste. However, a closer examination at minute-by-minute values (blue graph) reveals nuances: certain components, such as refrigerated display cases, cycle on and off frequently. The hourly values cannot capture these high-frequency variations, leading to a skewed perception of the base load.
Aggregated measurements mask these intricacies in energy consumption. All high-frequency information becomes unavailable.
With access to hourly data alone, you can optimize the largest appliances. Smaller devices, which offer significant savings opportunities, fly under the radar.
We Provide the Foundation You Need
Acquiring reliable energy data can be a challenging and resource-intensive endeavor. By focusing solely on energy measurement for companies like yours, we tackle this task.
Our goal is to provide a robust foundation for decision-making, enabling smarter choices. Through collaboration with us, you can offer your clients detailed and reliable data, granting them better control over energy consumption.
